Renovating a Hillside by Installing a Low-Maintenance Plant Cover

1. Use marking paint to define area to be renovated and covered. 

2. Spray area to be renovated with Glyphosate solution  (Round-Up or equivalent).

3. Wait 10 -14 days for Glyphosate solution to kill existing vegetation.  This waiting period is very important for good weed control.

4. Cut down dead vegetation with a string trimmer or lawn mower set to lowest height.

5. Lay out fabric over area to be covered.  Lay fabric strips across slope, starting at the bottom and working to the top.

6. Using landscape staples, pin down fabric every three to four feet along all joint lines and around fabric perimeter.

7. Mark locations where plants are to be installed with a spot of marking paint.  Usually geometric grid patterns work best.

8. Cut X-shaped slits large enough to work soil underneath at all marked locations.

9. Plant one of your selected plants in each hole as marked by the X-shaped slits.  Backfill with soil and soil-amendment mixture.  Be sure not to plant too deeply.

10. (Optional) Install a two to three-inch layer of mulch on top of fabric and around all plants.  Pull mulch away from base of plants an inch or so.

11. Gently, but thoroughly, water whole area to settle plants roots into the soil.

12. (Optional) Uniformly apply a granular pre-emergent weed control (Preen, Snapshot, Treflan) to entire area to prevent seedling weeds from sprouting.  Follow label application directions.

If followed correctly, this procedure should result in an attractive and relatively weed-free planting that will generally require significantly  less maintenance.  Periodic re-mulching will be needed to maintain best appearance.